At about seven, in the morning, the ship nearest us approaching
within gunshot, and directly astern, I ordered one of the stern
guns fired, to see if we could reach her, to endeavor to disable
her masts; found the shot fell a little short, would not fire any
more.
[Illustration: ESCAPE OF THE CONSTITUTION.]
At eight, four of the enemy's ships nearly within gunshot, some of
them having six or eight boats ahead towing, with all their oars
and sweeps out, to row them up with us, which they were fast
doing. It now appeared that we must be taken, and that our escape
was impossible--four heavy ships nearly within gunshot, and coming
up fast, and not the least hope of a breeze to give us a chance of
getting off by out sailing them.
In this situation, finding ourselves in only twenty-four fathoms
water, by the suggestion of that valuable officer, Lieutenant
Morris, I determined to try and warp the ship ahead, by carrying
out anchors and warping her up to them; three or four hundred
fathoms of rope was instantly got up, and two anchors got ready and
sent ahead, by which means we began to gain ahead of the enemy;
they, however, soon saw our boats carrying out the anchors, and
adopted the same plan, under very advantageous circumstances, as
all the boats from the ships furthermost off were sent to tow and
warp up those nearest to us, by which means they again came up, so
that at nine, the ship nearest us began to fire her bow guns, which
we instantly returned by our stern guns in the cabin and on the
quarter deck.
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